


Orientation

by minkhollow



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: April Showers Challenge, Community: itsproductivity, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-01-20
Updated: 2008-01-20
Packaged: 2017-10-18 17:04:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/191173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minkhollow/pseuds/minkhollow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regulus Black's first day of Divination.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Orientation

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt for this was a picture of a fortune cookie. I've always thought that Trelawney's method of teaching Divination can't be the only one, and when casting about for a name for her predecessor in the post, Device was only natural; this can be taken as in-universe with either "Thwarted by a Metaphysic Puzzle" or "Deliver Me From My Friends," but stands alone equally well.  
> I am not JKR; I borrow because I do have some issues with how canon handled the prophecy about Harry.

"I suspect you each have your own reasons for enrolling in this class, whether they involve pure academic curiosity, romantic notions of divining the future just in time to prevent calamity, or something in between."

Professor Device is nearing eighty - just past middle age, for the average wizard. He maintains good posture and a no-nonsense tone of voice as he surveys the room full of third-year students.

"This is _not_ a class conducive to woolly thinking of any sort. Prophecies are a tricky business when handled correctly, and treating them with anything less renders them largely useless. If I suspect you are not applying yourself to your assignments, I will grade your work accordingly."

As most of the rest of the class groans at the realisation this won't be the soft option they'd thought, Regulus decides he likes the man already. Most of the other classes at Hogwarts don't give him this sort of opportunity to actually put his brain to good use.

"Further, those of you hoping to learn the practices behind Divination may wish to change your elective. While I do cover some of the basic practices, they are not the focus of the class, since only a very few people can hope for more than the occasional partly-correct reading."

Besides, as Regulus has learned from background reading, do-it-yourself divination often leads to the reader seeing what they want to see, particularly if tea leaves are involved. The class being about theory more than practice is just fine with him, though two or three people do ask if they might go discuss a class change with their heads of House. Professor Device nods, and waits for them to leave before resuming the class.

"Very well. I will presume that those of you remaining wish to stay in the class, unless you discuss the matter with me afterward. The first important fact to this class, that some of you might have use for later in life, is that prophecies must _never_ be taken as an excuse for inaction. Waiting for your problems to go away because a Seer said something about them may in fact prevent the prophecy from coming to pass, and if the prophecy points toward a specific person to do something, his path will more likely be obstructed than cleared by a lack of aid from anyone else.

"Second, prophecies are always harder to interpret than they appear at first glance. Classic prophetic speech, unspecified calendars, the fact that a Seer may not understand the full implications of his vision, and any other number of factors may complicate the matter. To that end, I expect at _least_ two interpretations of any prophecy with which you work, whether it is in class or in your spare time..."

By the time Professor Device dismisses the students, Regulus has a new favorite class.


End file.
